by Lorraine Traylor

Created on: September 02, 2009   Last Updated: September 03, 2009

There is no such thing as an absolute and true fact about anything living that has freewill. That being said, I have a house with a yard and I have dogs.

Where are my dogs on this beautiful summer day? The Shepherd/Chow who is most active is lying beside me sleeping as I write. The oldest is basking in a sunbeam inside the French doors in the living room. And the youngest "child" has made it no further than the deck to bark at a rabbit. Although they have full access to the outdoors, they prefer their home and their humans company.

If I am to gather the leashes I will not likely make it to the door without being licked silly. They aren't starving for the fresh air, they want to smell the whole neighborhood, and they want me to go with them.

My oldest dog was found at a fast food restaurant where she, her mom and siblings were dumped in the trash. My middle dog child as well as my youngest came from shelters. My Beagle that passed away three years ago was also a shelter dog as my next one will be.

My dog lying next to me now is a mix of two aggressive breeds German shepherd and Chow Chow. She spends most of her life indoors "confined" to one area. Less than two feet from where ever I am. She is a four legged marshmallow. At fifty-five pounds and approximately four feet tall on her hind legs, she could do some damage under the theory that an animal who doesn't run freely becomes aggressive.

My middle dog, a thirty pound Beagle mix, assaults my Shepherd/Chow daily, playing quite rough, and the Shepherd/Chow merely looks at her, as if she were a fly. She responds the same with children pulling her ears and poking her in the eye. I have never met a more docile animal. The "attack" Beagle is all bark, and no bite. If you clap your hands, she runs and hides.

My eldest dog is an Australian Shepherd / Border collie mix who is about ninety pounds and easily the most intimidating of the three. She growls and bares her teeth while playing. I then kiss her on the nose and she looks at me as if I have ruined her "mean dog" act. She sighs and turns away, disgusted with me.

I may not have an apartment but nonetheless, my dogs have access to a yard they don't use other than as toilet facilities. They much prefer human companionship to the yard alone.

Last but certainly not least, you cannot say something absolute about an entire group of freethinking, free willed creatures and it be true.

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